I.A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA

d. “Youdiditverynicely,Doctor,”heremarked.“Nothingcouldhavebeenbetter.Itisallright.” “Youhavethephotograph?” “Iknowwhereitis.” “Andhowdidyoufindout?” “Sheshowedme,asItoldyoushewould.” “Iamstillinthedark.” “Idonotwishtomakeamystery,”saidhe,laughing.“Thematterwasperfectlysimple.You,ofcourse,sawthateveryoneinthestreetwasanaccomplice.Theywereallengagedfortheevening.” “Iguessedasmuch.” “Then,whentherowbrokeout,Ihadalittlemoistredpaintinthepalmofmyhand.Irushedforward,felldown,clappedmyhandtomyface,andbecameapiteousspectacle.Itisanoldtrick.” “ThatalsoIcouldfathom.” “Thentheycarriedmein.Shewasboundtohavemein.Whatelsecouldshedo?Andintohersitting-room,whichwastheveryroomwhichIsuspected.Itlaybetweenthatandherbedroom,andIwasdeterminedtoseewhich.Theylaidmeonacouch,Imotionedforair,theywerecompelledtoopenthewindow,andyouhadyourchance.” “Howdidthathelpyou?” “Itwasall-important.Whenawomanthinksthatherhouseisonfire,herinstinctisatoncetorushtothethingwhichshevaluesmost.Itisaperfectlyoverpoweringimpulse,andIhavemorethanoncetakenadvantageofit.InthecaseoftheDarlingtonSubstitutionScandalitwasofusetome,andalsointheArnsworthCastlebusiness.Amarriedwomangrabsatherbabyanunmarriedonereachesforherjewel-box.Nowitwascleartomethatourladyofto-dayhadnothinginthehousemoreprecioustoherthanwhatweareinquestof.Shewouldrushtosecureit.Thealarmoffirewasadmirablydone.Thesmokeandshoutingwereenoughtoshakenervesofsteel.Sherespondedbeautifully.Thephotographisinarecessbehindaslidingpaneljustabovetherightbell-pull.Shewasthereinaninstant,andIcaughtaglimpseofitasshehalfdrewitout.WhenIcriedoutthatitwasafalsealarm,shereplacedit,glancedattherocket,rushedfromtheroom,andIhavenotseenhersince.Irose,and,makingmyexcuses,escapedfromthehouse.Ihesitatedwhethertoattempttosecurethephotographatoncebutthecoachmanhadcomein,andashewaswatchingmenarrowly,itseemedsafertowait.Alittleover-precipitancemayruinall.” “Andnow?”Iasked. “Ourquestispracticallyfinished.IshallcallwiththeKingto-morrow,andwithyou,ifyoucaretocomewithus.Wewillbeshownintothesitting-roomtowaitforthelady,butitisprobablethatwhenshecomesshemayfindneitherusnorthephotograph.ItmightbeasatisfactiontohisMajestytoregainitwithhisownhands.” “Andwhenwillyoucall?” “Ateightinthemorning.Shewillnotbeup,sothatweshallhaveaclearfield.Besides,wemustbeprompt,forthismarriagemaymeanacompletechangeinherlifeandhabits.ImustwiretotheKingwithoutdelay.” WehadreachedBakerStreetandhadstoppedatthedoor.Hewassearchinghispocketsforthekeywhensomeonepassingsaid: “Good-night,MisterSherlockHolmes.” Therewereseveralpeopleonthepavementatthetime,butthegreetingappearedtocomefromaslimyouthinanulsterwhohadhurriedby. “I’veheardthatvoicebefore,”saidHolmes,staringdownthedimlylitstreet.“Now,Iwonderwhothedeucethatcouldhavebeen.” III. IsleptatBakerStreetthatnight,andwewereengageduponourtoastandcoffeeinthemorningwhentheKingofBohemiarushedintotheroom. “Youhavereallygotit!”hecried,graspingSherlockHolmesbyeithershoulderandlookingeagerlyintohisface. “Notyet.” “Butyouhavehopes?” “Ihavehopes.” “Then,come.Iamallimpatiencetobegone.” “Wemusthaveacab.” “No,mybroughamiswaiting.” “Thenthatwillsimplifymatters.”WedescendedandstartedoffoncemoreforBrionyLodge. “IreneAdlerismarried,”remarkedHolmes. “Married!When?” “Yesterday.” “Buttowhom?” “ToanEnglishlawyernamedNorton.” “Butshecouldnotlovehim.” “Iaminhopesthatshedoes.” “Andwhyinhopes?” “BecauseitwouldspareyourMajestyallfearoffutureannoyance.Iftheladylovesherhusband,shedoesnotloveyourMajesty.IfshedoesnotloveyourMajesty,thereisnoreasonwhysheshouldinterferewithyourMajesty’splan.” “Itistrue.Andyet—!Well!Iwishshehadbeenofmyownstation!Whataqueenshewouldhavemade!”Herelapsedintoamoodysilence,whichwasnotbrokenuntilwedrewupinSerpentineAvenue. ThedoorofBrionyLodgewasopen,andanelderlywomanstooduponthesteps.Shewatcheduswithasardoniceyeaswesteppedfromthebrougham. “Mr.SherlockHolmes,Ibelieve?”saidshe. “IamMr.Holmes,”answeredmycompanion,lookingatherwithaquestioningandratherstartledgaze. “Indeed!Mymistresstoldmethatyouwerelikelytocall.Sheleftthismorningwithherhusbandbythe5:15trainfromCharingCrossfortheContinent.” “What!”SherlockHolmesstaggeredback,whitewithchagrinandsurprise.“DoyoumeanthatshehasleftEngland?” “Nevertoreturn.” “Andthepapers?”askedtheKinghoarsely.“Allislost.” “Weshallsee.”Hepushedpasttheservantandrushedintothedrawing-room,followedbytheKingandmyself.Thefurniturewasscatteredaboutineverydirection,withdismantledshelvesandopendrawers,asiftheladyhadhurriedlyransackedthembeforeherflight.Holmesrushedatthebell-pull,torebackasmallslidingshutter,and,plunginginhishand,pulledoutaphotographandaletter.ThephotographwasofIreneAdlerherselfineveningdress,theletterwassuperscribedto“SherlockHolmes,Esq.Tobelefttillcalledfor.”Myfriendtoreitopen,andweallthreereadittogether.Itwasdatedatmidnightoftheprecedingnightandraninthisway: “MYDEARMR.SHERLOCKHOLMES,—Youreallydiditverywell.Youtookmeincompletely.Untilafterthealarmoffire,Ihadnotasuspicion.Butthen,whenIfoundhowIhadbetrayedmyself,Ibegantothink.Ihadbeenwarnedagainstyoumonthsago.Ihadbeentoldthat,iftheKingemployedanagent,itwouldcertainlybeyou.Andyouraddresshadbeengivenme.Yet,withallthis,youmademerevealwhatyouwantedtoknow.EvenafterIbecamesuspicious,Ifoundithardtothinkevilofsuchadear,kindoldclergyman.But,youknow,Ihavebeentrainedasanactressmyself.Malecostumeisnothingnewtome.Ioftentakeadvantageofthefreedomwhichitgives.IsentJohn,thecoachman,towatchyou,ranupstairs,gotintomywalkingclothes,asIcallthem,andcamedownjustasyoudeparted. “Well,Ifollowedyoutoyourdoor,andsomadesurethatIwasreallyanobjectofinteresttothecelebratedMr.SherlockHolmes.ThenI,ratherimprudently,wishedyougood-night,andstartedfortheTempletoseemyhusband. “Weboththoughtthebestresourcewasflight,whenpursuedbysoformidableanantagonistsoyouwillfindthenestemptywhenyoucallto-morrow.Astothephotograph,yourclientmayrestinpeace.Iloveandamlovedbyabettermanthanhe.TheKingmaydowhathewillwithouthindrancefromonewhomhehascruellywronged.Ikeepitonlytosafeguardmyself,andtopreserveaweaponwhichwillalwayssecuremefromanystepswhichhemighttakeinthefuture.IleaveaphotographwhichhemightcaretopossessandIremain,dearMr.SherlockHolmes, “Verytrulyyours, “IRENENORTON,néeADLER.” “Whatawoman—oh,whatawoman!”criedtheKingofBohemia,whenwehadallthreereadthisepistle.“DidInottellyouhowquickandresoluteshewas?Wouldshenothavemadeanadmirablequeen?Isitnotapitythatshewasnotonmylevel?” “FromwhatIhaveseenofthelady,sheseems,indeed,tobeonaverydifferentleveltoyourMajesty,”saidHolmescoldly.“IamsorrythatIhavenotbeenabletobringyourMajesty’sbusinesstoamoresuccessfulconclusion.” “Onthecontrary,mydearsir,”criedtheKing“nothingcouldbemoresuccessful.Iknowthatherwordisinviolate.Thephotographisnowassafeasifitwereinthefire.” “IamgladtohearyourMajestysayso.” “Iamimmenselyindebtedtoyou.PraytellmeinwhatwayIcanrewardyou.Thisring—”Heslippedanemeraldsnakeringfromhisfingerandhelditoutuponthepalmofhishand. “YourMajestyhassomethingwhichIshouldvalueevenmorehighly,”saidHolmes. “Youhavebuttonameit.” “Thisphotograph!” TheKingstaredathiminamazement. “Irene’sphotograph!”hecried.“Certainly,ifyouwishit.” “IthankyourMajesty.Thenthereisnomoretobedoneinthematter.Ihavethehonourtowishyouaverygoodmorning.”Hebowed,and,turningawaywithoutobservingthehandwhichtheKinghadstretchedouttohim,hesetoffinmycompanyforhischambers. AndthatwashowagreatscandalthreatenedtoaffectthekingdomofBohemia,andhowthebestplansofMr.SherlockHolmeswerebeatenbyawoman’swit.Heusedtomakemerryovertheclevernessofwomen,butIhavenotheardhimdoitoflate.AndwhenhespeaksofIreneAdler,orwhenhereferstoherphotograph,itisalwaysunderthehonourabletitleofthewoman.